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US levies Iran and Syria technology sanctions

President signs executive order targeting people and entities that use technology to help crush dissent.

24 Apr 2012 08:53 GMT

President Barack Obama has signed an executive order introducing sanctions on people and entities in Syria and Iran, that use technology to target their citizens and perpetrate human rights abuses.

The move underscored the degree to which technology, from mobile phones to social media, has not only fuelled popular uprisings in countries throughout the Arab world, but also given governments new ways to track and suppress political dissent.